Soulmates
by Jesus.Lives
Summary: Ryan & Natalia work an odd case, which trying to work out their feelings about Calleigh & Eric, and each other. Based on SPOILERS.
1. No Trust

_This is a RyanxNatalia fic. With some mentionings of EricxCalleigh and CaRWash._

_Plot: What if you got told your soul mate was the one person you can't stand?_

_Disclaimer: I only own the storyline._

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_No, I don't hate you  
don't want to fight you  
know I'll always love you  
but right now I just don't like you _

**Which of us to Bury the Hatchet – Relient K**

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It was a day like any other. Or at least it was supposed to be.

Ryan didn't have to tell her not to screw up anything today. It went unspoken. And Natalia knew that giving him any opportunity for him to be all over her like a rash was not usually a good thing.

"What's this card doing here?" She said idly, glancing over the crime scene for the fifteenth time.

"Well just bag it so we can look at it later." His patience was on a short string.

"I know this might be hard to believe, but I know what to do Ryan" she replied smarmily, bagging it like he'd said.

"Then do it."

The thing that bugged him was that since Delko and Calleigh decided to make it official, they'd been working more cases together – leaving him with Natalia when he wasn't working cases himself.

Not only that, but Natalia was responsible for the whole thing. She'd unofficially set them up, leaving Ryan feeling like the day-shift loser, compared to Eric, the day-shift stud.

He had a hundred reasons why he hated working with her so much. But despite the numerous superficial reasons, one was deep; too deep to ever mention to anyone.

Ryan was insecure. He saw her as a snake; someone that led him on once for her own ends, someone that reinforced his own insecurities that he tried almost daily to ignore.

Calleigh brought him up; he could be honest with her. Natalia brought him down, as if she was better than him, but he told himself that she wasn't.

That's why he made snide comments to her, whether he could use her personal circumstances or her working credibility – he was always looking for something to have on her; something to reassure himself that he was a better person than her, something to boost his own ego.

He stood up and picked up his kit, now closed. "We ready to go?"

"Yeah, sure. I just want to make sure we didn't miss anything."

"Go ahead."

He didn't help. He just watched her. His eyes narrowed. Trying to stop himself from glancing at her ass. Her looking good, was enough to make him dislike her even more.

He hated himself for it, but the fact that she was a little more disheveled under the stress when her sister was kidnapped, less glamorous, made him almost want to gloat in the situation. Although he knew how wrong that would be… and he knew how ashamed he'd be around Horatio or Calleigh if they ever found out.

"All done?" He asked when she came back to him at the front door, ready to go.

"Yeah…" she took one last glance at where the woman used to be on the floor, stab wound straight to the heart. Now she was with Alexx. The puddle of blood left behind, which could quite obviously remind her of the death of her ex. Natalia covered her expression of hurt quite well though. Ryan didn't feel sorry for her. _She deserves everything she's got_, he told himself.

"Let's get back to the lab then, process this..."

She nodded and the two of them walked to the car wordlessly. Small talk was rare for them and neither of them thought it worth their time to pretend they were anything more than colleagues.

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This is a plug to go and check out my CSI vids (mostly CaRWash & some Vegas ones)… go to youtube and type in **Easyboy201**.

Go right now!

Your own curiosity demands you!

**(and review here too, it'll only take a sec!)**


	2. Miss IllSuited

_Plot: A meeting with Miss Suited._

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I think you know what I'm getting at  
I find it so upsetting that  
the memories that you select you keep the bad but the good you just forget

**"Which To Bury; Us Or The Hatchet" - Relient K**

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"You seriously believe in this stuff?" 

"Soulmates? Yes." Natalia answered matter-of-factly as the two of them were off to speak to the woman whose name was on the card found at the crime scene.

Ryan shook his head but said nothing. Between Eric and his belief in Santeria and Natalia with this, he wondered if himself, Horatio and Calleigh were the only sane ones in the crime lab.

"You know, I'm not surprised that you don't."

He turned to her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. It's just that belief in anything different doesn't exactly fit into the Ryan Wolfe box."

"You mean like Delko?"

"I didn't mean anything."

He pressed his lips together and asked for self control, only muttering a sarcastic "sure" under his breath.

The office wasn't what they expected. It was modern - very up-market. More like an over-priced consultant's office.

People were crawling all over the place. Janitors, office workers, a man carting around A.V equipment and others who seemed to be making themselves useful.

"Yeah, we're here to see Ms Suited." Ryan said, flashing his badge and putting his arm up on the desk, peering down to a busy receptionist, trying not to snigger as he said the name on the card.

He turned to Natalia, "People actually waste money on this?"

She gritted her teeth, "Some people take relationships pretty seriously." She said back under her breath.

He shook his head.

"Ms Suited will see you in a moment."

Ryan looked at Natalia again while they waited. She smiled at him. It seemed forced. Ryan was thankful when they finally got in there; it gave him something to focus on besides his coworker.

Ryan slapped the card down on the mahogany desk, where a gray haired woman dressed to the nines sat giving them a kind smile. "We found this, next to a murdered woman this morning. Any idea how it got there?" He was no nonsense, he wanted answers.

The woman started to shake her head, but Ryan took a post mortem picture of the victim out of a folder and threw it down for her to take a look.

"That's Germaine."

"So what was this? A business relationship?"

The woman smiled, as if she was hiding something. She looked at Ryan and Natalia who just stared back at the woman – Natalia interested, Ryan impatient.

"Yes. She came in with her fiancé."

"We're going to need his details." Natalia said, trying to be polite, slightly embarrassed at her co-workers brashness.

"Including what they were paying you for" Ryan added.

"I predict things. They wanted to know if there was anyone else they should be with. I gave them the answer."

Ryan raised his eyebrows, a second away from scoffing. "The answer they wanted?"

She shook her head, "The truth."

"Miss Suited. That's a very catchy business title."

Miss Suited ignored his sarcasm, "Thank you. My husband thought of it."

Ryan had a tightly set facial expression. "Yeah, I'll bet he did."

"Is my business under investigation?" Miss Suited asked straight up.

"It could be."

"Would you like to take a look around?"

Ryan and Natalia exchanged looks. "No, that'll be alright." Natalia said with a genuine smile.

"Well the least I can do is tell you the truth."

"That's a good start. About what?"

"That you're meant to be together, Miss Boa Vista and Mr Wolfe…"

Ryan took a second to process this. He recoiled. "Uh… _excuse me_?"


	3. The BlowUp

_Plot: This blow-up was a long time, and a lot of fake smiles coming._

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_Make your decision and don't you dare think twice  
go with your instincts along with some bad advice  
this didn't turn out the way I thought it would at all  
you blame me but some of this is still your fault _

**"Which to Bury; Us or the Hatchet" – Relient K**

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_She's just some nutcase_, Ryan told himself,_ a quack with a PHD and an "extra sense"_. Anyone that knew Natalia and himself would know that a statement like that is the furthest thing from the truth.

They got the information they needed and left her beachside office to try and find Germaine's fiancé. Natalia and Ryan had hardly spoken, as usual. But now there was more tension in the air - more than usual.

"So what have we got?" Ryan asked finally.

"Well, it's on the other side of town."

"Yeah, maybe I should go alone."

"Fine, do it." She wanted to reply something even more snarky - like that it had taken him long enough to come up with an excuse to work it himself.

"There's not much reason for you to come…"

"Yeah, sure. I'll finish processing." She bit her lip and turned back to him as they stood outside the station, waiting for everything to smooth itself over, Ryan waiting for a good excuse to leave her there without feeling guilty. "You don't trust me do you?"

"Is this about…?" He left it unspoken -_ what "Miss Suited" had just told them._

"You don't trust me on a case. It's not _your_ case, Ryan. So let's just work together."

"Yeah, fine. We're working together."

"I don't expect you to like me, but at least you should trust me." She said again, quietly.

"You expect me to trust you? Give me one good reason why I should trust you, Natalia. You've shown your true colors pretty brightly in the last couple of years we've been working together."

"And that's supposed to mean?"

"That you're deceitful, that you're spineless, that you lack loyalties. Should I go on?" He half-yelled, unable to bottle up his rage. In reality those were the LEAST of the things that he could have called her, but he still wanted to be nice. As nice as he could while telling her exactly what he thought of her.

She opened her mouth for a second, she knew this was coming one day, she already knew he felt like this, he'd already told her as much, but the fact that nothing had changed between them. He still couldn't trust her, he still saw her as a rat… she boiled with anger too. "You are such a hypocrite Ryan" she said, trying to keep her temper under control.

He pointed at himself, incredulously, "_I'm_ the hypocrite?"

"You think_ I _lack loyalties? Well, look at yourself in the mirror! The gambling debts, the tests you pulled on people…"

"To try and figure out the mole… who _you_ were by the way."

She ignored this, "you act like you don't look out for your own interests Ryan, but you do. That's probably the only reason you asked me out two years ago." Crossing her arms over her chest, she squared him in the eye.

"So that's what this is about?" He scoffed, yanked her hand away, opened her palm and forcefully stuck the keys to the CSI jeep in it. "Go. Do the interview. I'll see you back at the lab."

He stalked off in the other direction. She looked down at the keys in her hand, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach.

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**Please review – I need the motivation!**


	4. Phone Call

_Plot: It's always harder to hear the truth, if you've been denying it for so long..._

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_I tried to move you, but you just wouldn't budge  
I tried to hold your hand but you'd rather hold your grudge  
I think you know what I'm getting at  
you said goodbye and I just don't want you regretting that_

**"Which To Bury; Us Or The Hatchet" – Relient K**

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Natalia didn't get far before she scrambled for her phone and dialed, pulling over the jeep and leaning back in her seat. The phone rung a few times before it was picked up.

"Yup? Natalia?"

"Eric? Are you..." she bit her lip, "are you back in the lab at the moment?"

"No, I'm out in the field. Is something the matter?"

"Well, I was just with Ryan. There were… words exchanged."

"Is this bad?"

"I guess not… I was just… do you get the feeling that he's never really… forgiven me?"

"Yeah, but he hasn't forgiven you for what?"

"I don't know, for the whole mole thing; for becoming a C.S.I?"

"You think that's what he'd still be angry about?" Eric Delko had to smile. That was fickle, even for Ryan. "I'm sure he's over it, 'Talia."

"So he just called me spineless and deceitful for no apparent reason?" She still felt weird about it, which must have been why she thought it was important enough to bother Eric with when he was working.

"You and him." Eric said at last, if he was just realizing it himself.

"Huh? Me and him?"

"Well, there's still hurt feelings there right?"

"It didn't work out." She breathed in a sigh and shrugged, feeling no better.

"Yeah, it didn't work out. That one date right?"

"That's right."

"And you gave him reasons for ending it?"

"What do you mean? It was just one date."

"Yeah…" Eric echoed, "One date."

Was that what Ryan thought about it too? _One date? Or a view to something more that never came? _

Natalia felt like an idiot; well, if it was true… She sat there speechless.

"Look, 'Talia, it's up to you. I don't know why he's still acting this way towards you. But I know how it feels to have someone not explain why things weren't working, or if I wasn't good enough."

"Thanks Eric" she said shakily. She sunk down lower in her seat and hung up the phone. They'd been pleasant to one another for so long, she wondered what was bringing up all these issues now. The next move was up to her.

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Thanks everyone for your reviews, you're inspiring me! This pairing rocks! **Please keep reviewing!** Horatio thanks you! _(oh, com'on… like he can't resist a damsel in distress like me!) _


	5. Break in the Case

_Note: Sorry for taking so long with this. I've been sick. :(_

_Me + Chinese Hospitals not a good combo. _

_Plot: Calleigh's a flirt. But we love her anyways..._

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_Make your decision and don't you dare think twice  
go with your instincts along with some bad advice  
this didn't turn out the way I thought it would at all  
you blame me but some of this is still your fault_

**"Which To Bury; Us Or The Hatchet" - Relient K**

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"Hey day shift stud."

"Hey yourself." Ryan smiled as he saw her, "But are you sure you should be calling me that with Delko not around?"

The blond waved it off, "Oh, he and I are cool… and besides, you've made me particularly happy today." She finished brightly.

"What's the occasion?"

"Well, if you recall, we had an unsolved a few weeks back. Turns out there might be a link in the M.O to this mornings vic."

"A link how?"

"What did you find particularly interesting about the scene you processed?"

Ryan thought back, "I don't know… killer seemed to have brought or taken something with him. Something missing from the room… found evidence on something that had been resting on the table. Could be nothing…"

"Could be something" Calleigh handed him a folder. "Another girl was found with stab wounds to the heart. Found in a deserted building much like the vic this morning."

"You think he takes a kit with him?"

"Maybe someone who's already mobile – moving around a lot, carrying a lot of things, heavy equipment, perhaps living out of a van or a boat."

"That's helpful."

"Great" Calleigh beamed. "Any prints?"

"Nothing useful."

"Trace?"

"Yeah, black substance on the body and furniture. Being processed."

"You want to go speak to fiancé of the vic from a few weeks ago?"

"Are you inviting me?"

"If you want to do your job…"

"Yea, yeah… let's go."

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Natalia sat in the car, thinking as she put it in drive and got back into action. She remembered that date – Ryan was a nice guy, he acted as if everything he had to do, he had to do to please her, and if kinda got freaky after a while. Maybe he was too nice.

_Besides, you don't like nice guys,_ a voice inside her cut in.

_Of course she did! _She fought back – _she went out with both Eric and Ryan after her marriage fell apart… _

_But it didn't work out with either of them,_ the voice answered.

Her hands trembled on the wheel. She desperately wanted another chance with Ryan. Another chance with the nice guy to prove to herself that she could make it work. That she could be stable. Could be normal.

It just felt that all her chances had run out…


	6. Empty Conversations

_Notes: I forgot to mention that I had done up a couple of Ryan x Natalia (Boa Wolfe?) vids at youtube. My user is **Easyboy201.**_

_And I've finally moved on with Relient K songs. Seems whatever I'm listening to seems to fit this pairing. :D_

_Plot: Notice how they're both imitating each other in their apprehensiveness to talk to the other parties?_

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_I know  
I know  
I know  
I know_

_I know what he did to you.  
But there's only so much on can do.  
The rest is up to you...  
the rest is up to you._

**Relient K - The Rest Is Up To You**

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"So..." 

"You want to talk about something?" she asked as she drove, giving him a  
quick glance. He looked anxious; that apprehensive look he gave when he  
was wanting to discuss something that wouldn't usually come up.

"Yeah. You and Delko. When did that exactly happen?"

Calleigh wasn't surprised by the question, she shrugged. "I don't know"  
she said lightly, with her usual soft drawl. "I guess when he got  
shot... it's amazing how much you realize you can need a person when  
you're close to losing them."

"Guess so." Ryan was quiet after that. He knew it wasn't that simple.  
She still had half-ties to Jake, and for a while there it looked like  
Calleigh hadn't made up her mind... but in the end, Ryan guessed the  
greater man won. He should have known it would never be him. She  
played the boss card all too often with him. They were friends, but a  
girl like Calleigh seemed too out of his reach... but then again, he'd  
almost thought that about Natalia too, until he got the "vibe" she was  
keen at her party that night - with ended up with him possibly  
misinterpreting all the signals he thought he was getting.

"So that's it?"

"Yeah, yeah... And you're happy with Delko right? He's treating you  
right?"

"Ryan. I couldn't be happier." She grinned to herself, parking.

He grinned back at her, but felt partially as if he was putting it on,  
"Then I couldn't be happier for you."

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"I just can't believe this..." 

Natalia gulped as she watched the man bury his head in his hands in  
grief. Why did she have to be the one to pass on the news? It  
certainty never got any easier.  
"Its ok, Mr Desberg. We can do this some other time." She bit her  
lip; glad Ryan wasn't there right now. They needed that information now  
to break the case... if they waited, who knew what could happen?

"How could this...?"

She sat on the couch beside him. After what happened with her sister  
she could more than sympathize. "I'm sorry" she said miserably.  
"Miss Suited told you it was a perfect match?" Natalia said again,  
after a silence that seemed like an eternity.

All he could do was nod.

There was more silence. "We're gonna... ummm... need you to come down  
to the station to answer a few more questions, is that ok?" she asked  
gently.

Another nod. It never got any easier.


End file.
